Lessons from a Happy Quitter

Before I quit smoking I was spending most of my time and energy doing what I imagined I "should" do. I was stressed, tired, unhappy, and saw no way out!

Among the many lessons I got from Smoking Cessation is that I deserve Better! Then I had to figure out how to get from here to there!

It started with a vision -

What does Happylook like - not for everybody - for ME?

Believe it or not, this was the most challenging part of the whole thing! But I discovered - again because of my Quit Journey - that happy meant living my values! And my values don't have to be dictated by the people around me or even by my Society - they live deep in my unique Thomas Soul - I just have to listen to myself.

Then I began to live each day as if that happy life is Today!

It wasn't all smooth sailing! When you do something different, it is likely that you will face criticism. I had to understand that other people's words don't define me! When somebody criticizes or judges my choices, they are only showing their own misunderstandings. Insecure people judge other people's choices. It actually defines them!

And I learned that values sometimes change with time. Different stages of life bring different values into focus. I spend my time and energy making me happy Today! At some time all of that can shift but I trust myself to listen to me and go with what I believe and value. And those are the things that I will spend my energy on because that is what makes me Happy!

All of this because I decided to become a Happy Quitter!

Now I am a Happy Person!

“To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment.” ~Ralph Waldo Emerson